Cold-shooting Spurs fall into 48-40 halftime hole

The Spurs looked like the quintessential team playing in a back-to-back game after struggling through a miserable second quarter.

The Los Angeles Clippers claimed a 48-40 halftime advantage after finishing the second quarter on an 18-2 spurt.

The Spurs were held without a field goal over the final 5:34 of the half after George Hill’s 3-pointer. From there, the Spurs missed their final 10 shots and had two turnovers thrown in for good measure.

It’s been a game of stunning role reversal. The Clippers, the team with the league’s worst record, has throughly outplayed the Spurs. San Antonio came into the game with a 15-2 record that ranks as the league’s best.

Blake Griffin has made the paint his personal playground as he’s rattled the Spurs interior defense with a dazzling assortment of rim-rattling dunks. Griffin has produced game-high totals of 17 points and eight rebounds and Eric Gordon and Rasual Butler have added nine points apiece. All of Butler’s points have come on 3-point baskets.

Manu Ginobili leads San Antoino with 10 points and Hill has added nine. The Spurs’ late shooting malaise dropped them to 34 percent from the field, compared to 52.6 percent for the Clippers.

The Spurs must do a better job of shutting down Griffin in the paint and choose better shots if they have any hopes of coming back in the second half.

The half ended with a miserable finish when Tony Parker made a great steal, but couldn’t get a shot off before the buzzer.

Baron Davis’ basket at the buzzer gave the Clippers at 25-24 edge after one quarter.